As ya'll probably know, in January of this year I made the resolution to cook more and cook better. I was a complete newbie in the kitchen and was really starting from scratch. Now that the year is about half way over (I can't believe it!), I can say I have seen major improvements in myself and my cooking abilities. I have been consistent in cooking, trying new recipes and using different ingredients and kitchen tools that I wasn't always familiar with. But, so far cooking for my family has been a success! I contribute a lot of that success to meal planning.
By nature I am a very organized person, but I had never carried that over to my cooking world. It didn't take me long to realize that if I was going to do this cooking thing the right way, I needed create a method to my madness. If I wanted my meals to actually be something I was proud of, then I needed to take the time to invest in cooking instead of just throwing it together last minute. If that works for you, then great! I'm the kind of person who thrives on organization and lists, so this is what works for me.
1. I tend to meal plan by month (keep in mind that I am only cooking for 2, which is much different than cooking for 5 plus). Meal planning each month allows me more free time. I don't have to scramble each night to find a recipe then hope I have everything on hand. When I don't know exactly what to make, I refer back to my monthly list which gives me plenty of ideas.
2. I start by doing a lot of research on different meals and things I want to make. I go to all different websites, Pinterest, cook books, etc. and I create a solid list of meals for the upcoming month. I find a few crockpot meals, a few meals I feel comfortable with and a few meals that make me a little uncomfortable. If I always stuck with my comfort zone when it came to cooking, then it would be cereal all the way, so I force myself to go outside my box. The key is to plan a variety of meals, so that you aren't sick of eating the same type of stuff by the end of the month. The websites that I love to find recipes on are www.sixsistersstuff.com, thefrugalgirls.com, and Pinterest. I also have a few cookbooks that I really like. You have to find what type of recipes work for you. I personally stick to fairly simple recipes with fewer ingredients that can be made in a short amount of time due to my busy schedule which is why those particular cooking websites work best for me. If you dedicate time once a month to researching meals, you won't have to think about finding new meals to make again until the next month. It's a lot better than having to do that research each night or even each week in my opinion.
3. Once you have your list of meals established, you go shopping! I do a weekly shop, so I get what I need for the meals I am planning on cooking that particular week. I don't cook a full dinner every night though, so my shopping cart isn't overflowing. Since there are only 2 of us, I usually make a regular sized meal and easily have left-overs. Although a lot of people don't love leftovers (I used to be one of them), it's an easy way to save money and make sure food isn't going to waste. So each week I go shopping for the meals I will be cooking that week and I am armed with a list. Again, I put a lot of time into staying organized and it keeps me on track and focused at the grocery store. If I need ingredients for 3-4 meals and I don't have an organized list, it will be a disaster. I check everything off my list and I go home with everything I need instead of forgetting half of it and having to go back.
4. The next step is cooking! I have found that when I already have everything on hand and ready to go that cooking is so much easier. I'm not stressed running around the kitchen trying to find out if I even have what I need to pull this meal together. I know what I need and I know I have it. I pull it all out at once and get to cooking. I also buy meat in bulk and freeze it which helps with meal planning. Just make sure to defrost the meat beforehand, so that you can easily pop it in the oven instead of having to get it defrosted. (Again, it takes time to plan to defrost it ahead of time, but it will save you time in the end!)
5. The last step is timing. One of the biggest keys to successfully meal planning is to know your schedule and know what meals work best for your family on different days. My husband and I know our schedules somewhat in advance and I try to plan meals around that. On the weekends, I usually cook crockpot meals because I am at home for longer periods during the day and actually have time to make a 6 hr. crockpot dish whereas during the week I am gone for almost 12 hours each day which would make a crockpot meal hard to manage. On days where I know I have to work late, I usually cook a big meal the night before. That way there are leftovers for when I am working late and I don't have to run home and stress about cooking. On nights where we have nothing going on after work, I have time to cook the meal that takes 30 minutes to prepare and involves a lot of chopping. On nights where we have church almost an hour after I get home from work, I opt for a quick and easy dinner. This is why having a variety of recipes on hand is helpful! Know yourself and figure out what meals work best for you depending on the situation...this will be a lifesaver.
So there you have it, my mini Meal Planning 101 class! Meal Planning is a lot of work, but for me it's been the thing that keeps me sane while preparing and cooking meals for my family. Organization really does make cooking for your family much easier and less stressful. I have started to really enjoy researching meals and it's become fun to challenge myself with new dishes to make. This is just what works for me and my family and is by no means a perfected guide, but hopefully you learned something new and we can all continue on this journey of cooking together. I would love to hear what works for you and if you have any tips for me!
I'm going to include some delicious recipes that I have tried recently if you are looking for new ideas!
http://www.sixsistersstuff.
http://thefrugalgirls.com/2013/09/crockpot-stove-top-chicken.html
http://thefrugalgirls.com/2013/09/crockpot-stove-top-chicken.html
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